Question 1

Is Bathurst a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Bathurst is a longstanding regional centre in the Central Tablelands set among rolling hills and farmland along the Macquarie River. It has a compact, heritage-rich CBD of sandstone buildings, galleries and cafes alongside suburban neighbourhoods of Victorian and Federation cottages and newer estates. The community blends students, families, professionals and long-term residents; the population is 7,001 with a median age of 41. Housing is more often rented than owner-occupied, with 55.3% of dwellings rented and 44.8% owner-occupied.

Everyday life is shaped by Charles Sturt University and the Mount Panorama motor racing circuit, and by regional rail and the Great Western Highway for links beyond town. Significant local projects include a hospital redevelopment currently under construction, a recently added CT scanner and planning work for a broader health precinct, an active-transport strategy for footpaths, shared paths and cycleways, and a town-centre masterplan. Whether Bathurst suits you comes down to whether that mix of regional services, education and established neighbourhoods matches what you want.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Bathurst?

Accepted Answer

Buying in Bathurst 2795 sits well above what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A median house at $710,000 is about 11.3 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, and a median unit at $534,000 is about 8.5 times that annual income. Renting also takes a large slice of weekly household income: a house rent of $525 a week is about 43.4% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, while a unit rent of $435 a week is about 36.0% of that weekly income. If you are mainly thinking about renting rather than buying, the rent share is the figure that matters most to you.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Bathurst a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Unit values in Bathurst fell by 6.7% over the past 12 months while unit rents climbed 8.8%. House values rose a modest 4.7% and house rents increased a solid 7.1%. In other words, rental income rose faster than capital values on the house side, and unit rents jumped even as unit values declined.

If capital growth is your priority, the value movements for houses and units are the figures to focus on. If rental income matters more, the solid rent rises for both houses and units are the relevant numbers to weigh against those value changes. Whether that balance suits your investment goals depends on your circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$710K	$534K
Change in value Past 12 months	4.7%	-6.7%
Sold Past 3 months	35	14
Median days on market Past 12 months	58	49
Average rent Past 12 months	$525	$435
Change in rent Past 12 months	7.1%	8.8%

Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Bathurst

Bathurst suburb profile

Bathurst property market performance

5 year median price trend for houses and units

Bathurst demographics

Suburbs near Bathurst

How does Bathurst compare to nearby suburbs?

Choose the right real estate agents in Bathurst

Get a head start and compare top local agents in Bathurst

Not quite ready to sell?

Suburb and property report

Digital estimate for your property

Navigate the market